r/WASPs

Wouldnt get off my jacket without a drink. Seemed tired, but still had the energy to twerk.

Hi,

Every year yellowjackets take particular interest in this hedge I have in my yard.

From around now til the end of summer there is always at least half a dozen of them milling around it, climbing up and down the leaves. I swear there is always some and only on this hedge (not other species near it) so much that it can't be a coincidence. There's no hive inside the shrub.

I can't tell if they're biting or licking the leaves but i'm a little afraid to get close enough to take a video lol.

It doesn't flower or it doesn't have any flowers right now anyway so they're not looking for nectar.

Are they licking sap or wax off the stems? Are they biting pieces off it for a nest?

I'd like to know what these little guys are up to if anyone has any clue.

Wasps are essentially defensive and only sting when they feel threatened, swatted at, or when their nest is approached.

So if that's all the ammo you've got for wasp hate, I suggest you reconsider...

Wasps save farmers over $416 billion annually. Across all 100,000 species, they are essential to global ecosystems. As earth's ultimate pest controllers, pollinators, and natural recyclers, they protect crops, support plant diversity, and sustain the food web.

So for those who also want to argue wasps are useless, sorry... That's also untrue.

The majority of wasp species lay their eggs inside or on a host insect (like a caterpillar or beetle). When the larvae hatch, they consume the host, providing highly specific, natural biological pest control.

Without wasps, ecosystems and agricultural farmlands would be overrun with destructive insects, requiring billions more in chemical pesticide usage.

Follow me on insta and other socials @leifcollectsbugs

Just noticed it this 2 hours ago. Ran to home depo got some spray to take care of it at night like I've seen recommended on here. Sorry for the blurry picture, there were two wasps going in and out of it so I took the pics from behind my door.

Fairfield County, CT.

The upper body is fuzzy

The wasps haven't been bothering me but will I regret not getting rid of them when the nest is small? If so, how should I do it?

Too big for a yellow jacket. About an inch and half long. Have found 3 in my house over the past two days. Anyone know what type of wasp it is? Thanks!

I found what appears to be a fairly large yellowjacket inside the cottage I'm renting on Long Island, NY (Smithtown area, near the water) in mid-May 2026, and I'm trying to get a better sense of the situation, it's implications, and how to handle it.

Based on measurements and comparison photos, it seems to be around 3/4" long, with an abdomen roughly 3/16" thick. From my research, it seems likely that this may be a queen yellowjacket, but I'm not certain.

This is an old cottage that I moved into in October of last year, so this is my first spring/summer here. The structure is definitely not sealed well against insects. We've had:

• lots of spiders year-round (especially sac spiders)
• many ants now that it's warming up
• several house centipedes
• occasional wood roaches, stink bugs, etc.

One thing that concerns me is that the cottage has a drop ceiling made from flimsy material, with an attic space above it that the landlord bars tenants from accessing. She has refused to even share how to get up there; she is afraid of people falling through the floor.

Yesterday I entered the kitchen and heard buzzing above me. We found this wasp flying near the upper wall/ceiling area and got some blurry video, but after leaving briefly to put on more clothing layers, we completely lost track of it despite searching for hours.

Today we found it on the kitchen window screen and trapped it between the screen and the glass. We got much clearer photos/videos. It seemed reluctant to leave even after opening the screen from outside, and the last place we saw it was crawling into the balance cover / sash channel area of the window. It may still be there, or may have flown off.

My concern is this:

If this is a queen yellowjacket, is it likely that it overwintered somewhere inside the structure (attic, wall void, window cavity, etc.)? Or is it more likely that it simply entered from outside while scouting?

I understand one queen does not necessarily mean an active infestation, but I'm trying to understand:

• how concerning this actually is
• what signs I should watch for next
• whether attic/wall inspection is warranted
• how to reduce the chances of nest establishment
• whether sealing window channels / gaps is useful

My landlord is currently reluctant to bring in pest control or allow attic investigation with only a single wasp sighting so far – but I'm pushing back against this hard, given my heavy phobia of wasps and the ongoing pest issues.

Any insight in identification, and advice from people familiar with yellowjacket behavior, overwintering, or home exclusion would be greatly appreciated.

Ixodiphagus hookeri... the name means TICK EATER!

Found inside in Kings Park, NY today - 5/17/2026

About 1.5" long by my estimate, but I could be very off.

I live in an old cottage that I moved into in October. It is not well sealed.

Notably, there a drop ceiling with some flimsy material and cracks, and spiders / ants / house centipedes are very prevalent, often coming from the ceiling.

There is an attic above the drop ceiling, but entrances seem to have been sealed off when the drop ceiling was installed. We have been told we're not allowed in it.

I have a very large phobia of wasps and bees; my nightmare since moving in has been that the attic has overwintering bees / will have an active nest in the summer, and that we won't be able to get to it.

Some of my attempts to identify leads to the thought that this could be a queen of some kind, which is really taxing those fears.

I wasn't able to get a better video or picture of her. She seems to have disappeared when I went to go put on an extra layer of clothes. I've been searching for hours and can't find her

Hi Everyone!

About two weeks ago, I found a single large Yellowjacket in my house chilling on the back sliding door. We safely removed him outside. The very next day I found one that looked exactly the same in the same area- same removal procedure. No wasp activity for two weeks.

Anyway flash forward to yesterday. Another large singular Yellowjacket, this time I got a picture (see attached). Google AI tells me it’s a queen but I’m not sure. It was by itself, and pretty chill - just hanging on the same window. It was removed. Today, come home another singular bee hanging out in the SAME spot. I got a picture of her too. Google AI says that one is also a queen. Anyway the question is- are these queen bees? Is this the same bee that came back inside?? Would I end up with 4 different queen bees at my home at different times??? Help???

Trying to move this nest somewhere. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

It was a wasp kind of day in Colorado

I found this dead bee and am hoping to pin it. Google lens doesn’t help :(

Oklahoma. What species are these guys and how aggressive are they usually. No matter what I have to stick my hand in there so they gotta go.

Bear with me on the pic quality, its the best my camera could get cause it moves fast. Is this a bald face? Mason? Neither? Thought it was a mud dauber at first but the back end doesnt look right, but it does have legs for days. Northern IL if that helps

Guys sorry for the bad pictures. I am hearing buzzing in my wall. I found these going inside where the AC pipe goes into the house. Are these bumblebees or wasps. They do not seem to be aggressive. Any help appreciated.